Abandoned Trains

The Nome-Council road heads 72 miles to the east, about half of that on the shoreline. It turns inland at the ghost town of Solomon, an old mining town with an abandoned railroad train known locally as the Last Train to Nowhere (the remains of the Council City and Solomon River Railroad).

The engines were originally used on the New York City elevated lines in 1881, then were shipped to Alaska in 1903 to serve the miners along this line to Nome.

A gold strike at Ophir was the inspiration for the construction of the railroad beginning June 19, 1903 with big dreams to carry Council City gold to, and freight from, tidewater at Bonanza near Solomon. Some sources say 16 miles of track were laid and other sources say around 25 miles despite having supplies to lay 40-50 miles.

Unfortunately by 1907 the company folded, and a huge storm took out the tracks in 1913 stranding the rolling stock where it sits today.